Given the distinct histories of rugby league and rugby union, with league having broken away from rugby in England during 1895 (Australia and New Zealand in 1907), the sport of sevens could again provide a link between the two codes.
While we know there are many reasons why it is unlikely to happen, given obligations to clubs and each major rugby code, just imagine how good sevens competitions would be if we allowed the top players from the 13-man game to compete sometimes on the rugby sevens circuit and/or the Olympic Games.
Yes, we note that this would be problematic for Australia’s major codes given that the Olympic Games occurs during the season, but allowing representation in the sevens from both rugby codes would provide a further opportunity for players to represent their country on another stage in a sport where excellence from both codes would be on display.
At present, many rugby sevens players have a link with the 15-a-side rugby union game as backs and loose forwards. A few top rugby union players have endeavoured to play in sevens, most notably Sonny Bill Williams who ruptured his Achilles tendon early in the first match for New Zealand at the 2016 Olympic Games.
While rugby league currently seeks to promote the game of nines, this format is light years away from ever competing with sevens on a global scale, as the latter sport is already a significant global game with an annual international Sevens competition and Olympic Games participation.
International rugby sevens already has quality teams from around the world, including Europe with the traditional rugby union powerhouse nations, Africa (including Kenya), North America (USA and Canada), South America (Argentina) and Oceania (including island nations such as Fiji and Samoa).
While Asia is behind the pace, perhaps with the exception of Japan, Olympic Games participation may lead to added interest there in time.
At the domestic level, just imagine Australia’s best rugby league and union teams going at each other in the preseason playing a sevens tournament as part of their build up to the season.
With top players from both codes having the sevens option, watching such matches would be an exciting way to compare the quality of players from each code competing against each other, a possibility that would be of interest to many rugby fans.
The sevens game is a relatively easy bridge between the two codes as it is nowhere near as technical as the 15-man rugby union game, yet just as fast and demanding as rugby league nines.
Due to the style and speed of sevens, all players have to be quick, agile, and lean, with no major difference between positions.
The physiological demands of sevens will test top players from both codes due to the high intensity and speed of the game, as well as fitness requirements from playing a tournament format over two days.
So what rugby league players would be suited to rugby sevens?
We cite five current rugby league players which we believe would be suited to rugby sevens.
First, we mention Tyson Frizell (183cm and 108kg), who has already played for Australia and Wales at league but could also play for Tonga due to his mother’s birthplace.
Frizell, previously a rugby union prodigy who already has an understanding of the technique necessary to win rucks, has the speed, strength and agility to be particularly suited at sevens, being a back rower in league who very often causes havoc for defensive lines.
Second, Angus Crichton (Australia), who played for Australia’s school boys’ rugby union team as a centre, is a league back row player who (like Frizell) has an ability to run and change lines against a defence, and use his speed to turn half a line break into a try scoring opportunity.
With rugby sevens predominantly a game of one on one tackles, Crichton’s can use his speed, size (187cm and 102kg) and agility to break a defence through offloads that enhance a side’s second phase play by creating plenty of opportunities for faster players.
Angus Crichton of the Blues and teammates celebrate. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Third, there is Brandon Smith (New Zealand) who, despite no rugby union background and relatively small stature (180cm and 94kg), has the attributes and qualities that would make him a lethal rugby sevens player.
As Smith already plays a number of forward positions, his versatility, courage, skills and speed would make him an outstanding addition to New Zealand’s rugby sevens team.
Fourth, there is Australia’s Jack Wighton (190cm and 96kg), who won the 2020 Dally M Medal (Player of the Year) during the coronavirus disrupted season.
Renowned for his ability to pull off a big hit, strong running, solid defence and vastly improved short and long kicking, which makes him one of the most complete backline players in rugby league, all Wighton would needs is a few sessions learning how to ruck and clean out in order to become a formidable player for Australia in rugby sevens.
Finally, we mention Morgan Knowles (180cm and 94kg), an established player in the English Super League who plays for St Helens and Wales as a back rower and more recently as a hooker.
Like Brandon Smith, Knowles has the energy, speed and ball playing to be highly successful in rugby sevens.
While our desire for sevens to include top rugby league (and union players) in big competitions may be a pipe dream, we believe that the possibility would be a positive development.
It would provide some link between the codes, significant public interest, further opportunities for players to represent their country, enable national sevens teams to gain a bigger pool of talent to choose from, and display both league and union talent on a world stage (the Olympic Games).
This story was written by Chris Lewis and Jacob Anderson.
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
Australia should pick the best person for any of our teams.. no matter what their background.
TRexxx
Roar Rookie
In all honesty maybe just Teddy and Pap, Ponga. Taumalolo as big and strong as he is would not be fit enough. You also have to be able to pass laterally for 10m or more at full pace, be able to get to rucks quickly either in attack or defence. You don’t get a sub to rest either, so you have to be fit enough to last the whole game if you have to.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I do like Leagues denial that Rugby is a global sport. Like Unions popularity or success somehow diminishes or devalues league in some way.
Diesel 2.0
Roar Rookie
Carlin isles is the fastest union player at 11.5m/s or 25.725 miles per hour (41.4 kph) who is also known to be faster than Bolt over the 40m but not the last 60.
Walter Black
Guest
"Many players are also almost as fast as Ado Carr if not faster, " Really ? JAC was clocked at 38.5 km/h in a match against the Cowboys in 2019. Usain Bolt's fastest speed was 41 km/h over 100m from a running start. I doubt there will be another player in Union/League or AFL who is as fast as Josh.
Doze
Guest
Walter that's one of my favourite excuses by the League community as to why Rugby League can't grow and goes absolutely nowhere. Back on topic this idea would give League players a stage where they are recognized outside QLD and parts of NSW
Diesel 2.0
Roar Rookie
Exactly Ken W
KenW
Roar Rookie
Comments about the relative 'fitness' of players from different sports inevitably gets a bit silly. All of these are fulltime, professional athletes with access to high class facilities and coaching. They are going to be conditioned to the sport they play - on average AFL players might run a bit further, League players might be a bit higher on the beep, Union players a bit higher on the weights. There will be certain freaks in each of them but, on average, the players will all be equally 'fit' for their purpose.
Diesel 2.0
Roar Rookie
Yes exactly Paulo. SBW was famous for saying straight after leaving the Roosters and joining up with the NZ7's team for training that he thought NRL pre-season was hard. He was put through a beep test then fitness games straight after and he couldn't out of a jog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZmLBYx2YrA Evania Pelite of the Women's Aussie 7's was interviewed on fox after an NRLW match and asked how her fitness was, assuming she was struggling. She said "my lungs are thanking me for playing an easier game".
Diesel 2.0
Roar Rookie
You have to define what "much fitter" and "much faster" means Jak.
Nat
Roar Guru
I do like rugby's enthusiasm for the term 'global'. Mate, Handball dominates the 15 man code globally. Then we have 7s, a comp where players earn $50k a year and play one 3day tournament every other month. The vast majority still have jobs. The Irish team earn less than their country's minimum wage. It's barely above an over hyped hobby. Ths isn't a comparison to league, another tiddly sport globally but it's not pretending to be something it's not.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Daniel it wasn’t just banned.. And I’m going back to the 1960s… Any Union player switching codes received a lifetime ban immediately.. Facilities were denied them with support from political structures, municipalities, Universities etc.. .. Players were publically ostracized and called traitors if they chose to switch.. A brilliant SA winger called Tom Von Vollenhoven went to the UK and became a big star for St Helen’s.. Felt he deserved to be paid for what he did..being Afrikaans he shook up tthe establishment but paid a heavy price of being labeled nnot one of us.. And here’s the issue… SA Rugby led by Doc Craven declared professionalism.. Not necessarily just League as a big evil..to be confronted at all costs.. In typical South African hypocritical fashion the amateur Union players were almost all getting back handed payments in one form or the other throughout.. Maybe it’s time to revisit league here.. SA consistently produces one of the top 7s teams globally.. League should be a great fit. Things change.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Yea, I pointed out that he was NFL fit not NRL fit when he went to 7s. Neither Union or League are anywhere near the fitness you need for 7s, even with it being a very short game, it’s basically non stop, which neither code has.
Walter Black
Guest
And why does it get so little exposure I wonder ? Could the fact that the sport was banned in the country during the 90's have anything to do with it I wonder ? I love both league and union but what RU has done around the world to try and stifle the sport is unbelievable.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Maybe Angus Crighton from your list above would make a 7s team, possibly in the forwards. The others would struggle with the amount of running especially Brandon Smith. My choice would be Josh Ado-Carr, Paps and Ponga. Paps and Ado-Carr with the speed and fitness would love the extra space and Ponga with his step and ball playing would also be good in my opinion. I would really have loved to see peak Slater and peak Shaun Johnson play 7s...I think they would have absolutely been bosses in that format. I think actually NRL should look pretty closely at the 7s, especially Fijian 7s. Craig Bellamy was the first to scout the Fiji 7s team and got the original NRL Flying Fijian, Noa Nadruku. The last Fijian 7s player to play NRL also didn't do too badly...I think his nickname was Semi-trailer... :stoked:
Jak
Guest
Jarryd was finished in league by the time he went to rugby, a game he head never played before. NRL players are much fitter than the union guys. The game is much faster with no multiple 5 minute rests for a lineout or scrum.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I think a telling example is from Jarrod Hayne, arguably one of the NRLs biggest stars in his heyday, when he went for the Fijian side he struggled with the fitness massively and barely made a dent in the side before leaving. Granted he was NFL fit at that point not NRL which would have made a difference, but still.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
I decided to Google the SA Rugby League and discovered that their headquarters is about 15 min drive away from where I live.. That's how little exposure it gets.. Less than nothing.
Diesel 2.0
Roar Rookie
Great idea but its a no for me if your thoughts are to place current NRL or even 15 aside players on the World Circuit without a good 18 months of training and games. Many think that international 7's is a simple fun game that any athlete can play. It is not. Current players on the circuit are specifically conditioned who are multi skilled at simple things like passing 20 - 30 ms laterally left and right while running up to 80% effort, covering 180 - 200 metres over 3-4 phases in a single sequence play. Many players are also almost as fast as Ado Carr if not faster, including forwards. The only athletes that have similar aerobic fitness comparable to a 7's player are AFL players. So players like Taumalolo, Latrell Mitchell or even Julian Savea would struggle massively on a pure 7's field. Players like Papenhuyzen and Munster on the other hand would go well.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Although the current CEO of the NRL is South African :happy: